No. 5 UCLA vs No. 1 South Carolina | NCAA Women's Basketball | 11.24.24

LOS ANGELES, California | 11.24.24 Recap below.... Written by Isabel Gonzalez | cbssports.com A strong defensive effort helped No. 5 UCLA crush No. 1 South Carolina in a stunning 77-62 victory on Sunday, snapping the reigning national champions' 43-game winning streak. This marked UCLA's first win over an AP No. 1 team in program history. The Bruins handed the Gamecocks just their fourth loss since the start of the 2021-22 season, and the celebration was deafening inside Pauley Pavilion. "This means a lot because Dawn Staley has set the tone of what women's basketball excellence should be over the last several years," UCLA coach Cori Close said. "I just have so much respect for her, her staff, for the way they have a global view of the game... That being said, we expected to win. "We have a phrase in our program that 'it begins before it begins.' You gotta do the work to prepare, and it starts way before the tipoff happens. There was never a doubt. We prepared like we expected to win." UCLA got the job done with a full team effort that saw six players score at least eight points. Londynn Jones led the way with 15 points and knocked down all five of her 3-point attempts. "I just know it takes a lot of preparation. It's something that I work on every morning and after practice," Jones said. "Just continuing to get those reps in, and shoutout to my team for getting me those looks and getting me the ball. It was a rough start offensively for both teams as only one field goal was converted halfway through the first quarter. However, the Bruins soon found their offensive rhythm while bringing the heat defensively. Lauren Betts has been leading UCLA since last year, and even South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said the scouting report had a heavy focus on her. By her standards, Betts didn't have a particularly outstanding day, but she still contributed a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds. Close said Betts was still able to help the team due to how strong she is mentally, while also highlighting the importance of every member of the roster being ready to step up. "This is like a broken record, and they roll their eyes every time I say it but, 'Sometimes you, sometimes me, always us.' And be prepared for your number being called," Close said. "I think the reality is that Londynn and others were prepared." UCLA entered the break with a 43-22 lead, and Close had a straightforward message for her team: "Whatever the score is, I know we can play better." South Carolina went 9 of 34 from the field in the first two quarters, but Tessa Johnson kept the Gamecocks in it by scoring 12 points by the half. The Gamecocks opened the third quarter on a 7-2 run, but that momentum was short-lived as UCLA still entered the fourth with a 20-point advantage. "We needed a lot more than Tessa today. I'm proud of Tessa," Staley said. "Tessa is a player who is going to have an extraordinary career for us." Johnson finished the day with 14 points for the Gamecocks, while Te-Hina Paopao contributed 18 points. Staley said her players had good prep days before Sunday but sometimes get "a little unfocused," and she hopes this result will help with that in the future. "They played well. They were hitting on all cylinders," Staley said. "They actually executed our game plan to a tee. I thought we did a great job on Betts, but we got killed by everybody else. We'll learn." Despite being on the winning side, Close also said this needs to be a learning opportunity for the Bruins. "It's November 24," Close said. "Am I proud of our team? Yes, but this is just the beginning. We just can't get tired of doing things right." UCLA (5-0) will return to the court Friday against UT Martin. Meanwhile, South Carolina (4-1) will hope to get back on track when it plays No. 8 Iowa State on Thursday. https://www.cbssports.com/womens-coll...